Ben Barker opens the doors to a life of nomadism, adventure, and—isn’t it the same thing?—entrepreneurship. A childhood and youth spent traveling the globe led him to consider himself “from the world”. He turned his passion for travel into authentic adventure businesses, from a remote lodge in Tanzania to pioneering projects in Saudi Arabia. Along the way, he learned that success lies in resilience, curiosity, and a genuine respect for people and places. He shuns artificial luxury in favor of the richness of pure experiences and real landscapes. For him, life is an adventure. Come and join him on an exciting journey, here:
Amusement Logic: You spent your entire life as an expatriate from the United Kingdom. Was childhood and youth constantly on the move that shaped your way of understanding the world and, ultimately, of creating a business in it?
Ben Barker: I’ve never really known a life rooted in one place. I left the UK at six months old and spent my entire childhood moving around the Middle East and Far East. It’s almost a family rhythm – my grandfather ran a tea plantation in Sri Lanka at nineteen, then became one of Qatar and Bahrain’s first expatriates. That nomadic spirit rubbed off on all of us. Growing up across so many cultures gave me an instinctive awareness of people, places, and how differently the world moves depending on where you stand. I’ve never felt tied to a single country; my home has always been wherever I’m living at that moment. That fluidity has shaped how I work too. Whether I’m meeting a minister in Saudi, a community leader in China, or a developer in the UAE, I approach every interaction with the same openness and curiosity. There’s a certain freedom in seeing yourself as “from the world” rather than belonging to one small part of it.
A.L.: You studied International Hotel and Tourism Management. You could have had a brilliant career in conventional tourism, yet you chose adventure instead. What made you take that path?
B.B.: Adventure found me long before I realised I was choosing it. Some of my earliest memories are camping in the sand dunes and crossing wadis in Oman at age three. My teens were filled with mini expeditions with my father – hiking volcanoes in Indonesia, trekking Borneo’s rainforests, diving in the Philippines. By the time I hit university, I had an uncontrollable need to explore anything off the beaten path. My internships only reinforced it: six months in a Tokyo hotel where I couldn’t speak Japanese and six months in a traditional Hyatt in South Carolina – the polar opposite environments, yet both too “cookie cutter” for me. I tried the travel industry, led expeditions in Mongolia and China, then landed in Tanzania running a tiny dive lodge where life was tough, raw and real. Later came Dubai, then Whistler, then back to the UAE, where I developed Wadi Adventure (world’s first whitewater and surf park); then built my own business, moved to Seychelles for the raw nature, and started working for a media brand developing out extreme destinations, and now with the Warrior Group… Looking back, it’s obvious: adventure wasn’t a career choice; it’s simply who I’ve always been. It sounds corny, but life really is an adventure!
A.L.: You describe yourself as an “entrepreneur at heart” How do you combine the spirit of an adventurer with the mindset of an entrepreneur in practice?
B.B.: Adventure and entrepreneurship follow the same map: you choose a destination, but the route is rarely straight. There are false starts, dead ends, unexpected obstacles, and moments where you’re forced to rethink everything. In both worlds, the magic lies in staying curious, pushing forward, and enjoying the tiny moments along the way. Adventure teaches resilience – you keep going when the path disappears, you adapt when the weather shifts, and you learn to laugh when things go wrong. Sunrise still comes the next morning regardless of yesterday’s failures. Business is no different. You don’t succeed because everything goes to plan; you succeed because you’re willing to take the long way around, improvise, make bold calls, and keep the spirit of exploration alive. I’ve found that treating entrepreneurship like an expedition – light on ego, heavy on courage – creates a far stronger foundation than any business book ever could.
A.L.: A moment ago, you were telling us about Swahili Divers Lodge, the lodge you ran in a remote region of Tanzania. Was it this experience—far from the big hotel chains—that showed you there was another way to approach tourism? What did you take away from that period?
B.B.: Running a tiny dive lodge on a remote island in Tanzania was the greatest teacher I could ever ask for. The place was built around pure experience – scuba diving for people who lived and breathed the ocean. But life on land was equally unforgettable. When something broke, there was no shop to fix it; we improvised with whatever we could find. On one occasion when the chef didn’t show up for 30 hungry guests, our gardener stepped in and turned out to be brilliant. Evenings meant hosting guests after long days on the water, wearing whatever hat was required – manager, storyteller, mechanic, problem solver. I learned how to stay calm when the unexpected became normal, like military coups and drunken soldiers with AK-47s wandering around demanding booze at our gate. Most importantly, it taught me respect – deep genuine respect, for everyone around me: askaris [a term from Somali, Swahili, and Arabic used today informally to refer to police officers and security guards], chefs, boat boys, guests, villagers. Treating people with kindness and dignity became my non-negotiable principle. That experience didn’t just show me another way to do tourism; it shaped how I approach life.
A.L.: With Warrior Group, you work on projects in Saudi Arabia and East Africa. What are the strategic foundations for the success of an immersive adventure destination in regions that are developing their tourism offering from scratch?
B.B.: Adventure destinations in places like Saudi Arabia and East Africa can’t be copy-pasted from Europe or North America. They must be built from the ground up with a deep understanding of local culture, climate, identity, and what excites the youth. These regions are opening up to outdoor sports for the first time, so the destinations must be fun, accessible, and inspiring – giving people the confidence to try something new. They also need to extend beyond physical activity: culture, storytelling, history, nature, gastronomy, and evening activation are just as important as hiking trails or zip lines. Sustainability and commercial viability must sit side by side, with developments woven naturally into the local community. And above all, success comes from strong alignment with regional and national stakeholders, ensuring the vision for the destination matches the long-term goals of the place itself.
A.L.: What role do local communities play in these projects in the Middle East and Africa?
B.B.: For me, everything starts with “People, Planet, Place.” Local communities are the heart of any destination worth building. They shouldn’t just be consulted or employed – they should be integrated into the story, the operations, and the long-term value the destination creates. These environments are rich, raw, and full of culture, and we have a responsibility to ensure our presence strengthens rather than dilutes that. It can be complex – technical skills aren’t always readily available, and training takes time – but the obligation remains. Respecting elders, collaborating with local leaders, creating opportunities for youth, and ensuring benefits flow back into the community are essential. When you build with people rather than around them, the destination becomes far more meaningful for guests – and far more impactful for the place itself.
A.L.: You have visited some of the most remote places on the planet. Is there a personal story or fundamental lesson that now directly influences the creation of experiences for others?
B.B.: After travelling to some of the world’s most remote places, one belief has grown stronger: “luxury” is massively overused. My idea of luxury might be sleeping under a canopy of stars after a twelve-hour trek, while someone else’s might be a five-star suite. Adventure is deeply personal, and I never want to build destinations that force a single definition onto everyone. What I aim to create are places where people feel connected to nature, immersed in real landscapes, and able to enjoy unique activities without needing to spend thousands per night. Comfort matters, of course, but so does authenticity. True richness comes from time in nature, simple pleasures, shared stories, and experiences that stay with you long after you’ve left. That philosophy sits at the centre of every destination I help design.
A.L.: When successful, adventure tourism attracts people to fragile places. How do you resolve the paradox of sharing a remote location while inevitably contributing to its transformation?
B.B.: It’s the eternal challenge: how do you share extraordinary places without overwhelming them? For me, the answer lies in thoughtful design, visitor management, education, and long-term stewardship. We are designing destinations that sit lightly on the land – off-grid systems, minimal permanent impact, modular structures, and adaptive landscapes that protect biodiversity. We focus on low-volume, high-experience tourism rather than mass tourism. We build interpretation into the visitor journey so people understand the environment they’re entering. And we work closely with communities to ensure the destination benefits them economically and socially while reinforcing conservation values. The goal isn’t to keep people out; it’s to bring the right people in, in the right way, with the right mindset. When done properly, adventure tourism can actually strengthen a place rather than damage it.
A.L.: Looking ahead, what excites you most: the next destination to explore, the next technology to apply, or the next generation of adventurers?
B.B.: Honestly, all three – new destinations, new tech, and the next generation. I’ve visited close to 80 countries, yet I still feel like I’ve barely scratched the surface. There are mountains I want to climb, jungles to explore, savannahs to cross, and I want to experience as many of them as I can with my kids. Technology, especially AI, is incredibly exciting. It gives us new ways to plan, imagine, and share experiences – so long as we use it as a tool for inspiration, not a replacement for real life. And the next generation? That’s the part that motivates me most. Watching young people push boundaries, discover nature, build confidence, and grow through adventure feels powerful. My own kids are already far braver than I was at their age, and that gives me huge hope for the future of adventure tourism.
A.L.: If you had to choose a single skill or value to survive and succeed on this journey (beyond technical knowledge), what would it be and why?
B.B.: If I had to choose one value, it would be this: smile and be kind. When I was 13, my headmaster told me my smile alone wouldn’t get me far in life. He was partly right – but I’ve learned that a genuine smile can open doors that qualifications never will. Whether you’re navigating a new culture, negotiating a deal, or sitting in someone’s home in a remote village, kindness breaks barriers instantly. It needs no training, no degree, no course. A few words in the local language, a small gesture of respect, a warm expression – these things change the entire dynamic. Technical knowledge gets you into the room; kindness determines what happens once you’re there. It’s simple, human, and universally understood.
